Phrase guide

electromotive force

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Potential energy (not force) divided by electric charge; measured in volts

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the rate at which energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of electricity in a circuit; expressed in volts

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: voltage, emf

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: electrical phenomenon

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 電動勢 /电动势 (diàndòngshì) — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Finnish: sähkömotorinen voima — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Greek: ηλεκτρεγερτική δύναμη (ilektregertikí dýnami) — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Indonesian: gaya gerak listrik — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Irish: fórsa leictreaghluaisneach — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Macedonian: електромо́торна си́ла (elektromótorna síla) — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Malay: daya gerak elektrik — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Polish: siła elektromotoryczna — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Romanian: forță electromotoare — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Spanish: fuerza electromotriz — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Thai: แรงเคลื่อนไฟฟ้า (rɛɛng-klʉ̂ʉan-fai-fáa) — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Vietnamese: suất điện động — potential energy divided by electric charge
  • Vietnamese: lực điện động — potential energy divided by electric charge